Little Falls transcript., 1887-06-03
PHILOSOPHY OF SLANG.

PHILOSOPHY OF SLANG. .
\ Professor Of Belle.-Lettres. Gives !. Reporter
> History Of tho Use Of Picknickisn Terms.
tThe every cay idioms Of the Eng.
lish language commonly called slang
are not so worthy of unqualified con.
demnation as many prudish people
Suppose" observed professor 81
belles-lettres to New York Mail and
Express reporter the other day.
"They have direct fgurative signif-
canoe and give scope to an inventive
fancy. For example, the expression
You make me tired indicates to a
shade the feeling OF lassitude inflicted
| by bore. Again, the phrase What
are you giving us?' is merely
a figuratiye way of expressing incred.
ullty. Many sanguinary conflicts
have doubtless been averted by it's
use, as the rugged, synonymous phrase.
You are lying, sir!' has been known
to giye offense to certain eccentric
persons. Many slang phrases are the
embodiment Of a polite spirit. When
you are out with the boys and exhib-
it in meteoric flashes the slumberine
hllarity in your nature, to be told
that you are intoxicated strikes q
sensitive chord in your breast; but to
be accosted with What an elegant
load you have got! brings a smile OF
assent and satisfaction to your
countenance every time. Gentlemen
never acknowledge to being drunk. 1t
is 'stilr or a Jag they have on.
The word drunk applies only to
tramps. They are synonymous terms.
Every acute intellect will recognize this
subtle shade of meaning. Gentlemen of
pugilistic proclivities are very careful
in their language. They appreciate
the modifying effects OF slangidioms,
and are particular to employ them in
speaking of their encounters. Who
ever heard champion of the ring
say that he gave his antagonist a
black eye or a bloody nose? He pre-
fers, in spirit of chivalry, more
elegant terms, and will say that he
closed pepper or tapped the claret.
Ii he knocks his opponent down he
will say considerably that he sent
him to grass If he gains victory
hs will not injure the feelings
OF the vanquished party by boast.
ing that he thrashed him, but
will pour balm upon his wounds by
stating politely that he done him up
''The parallel between slang phrases
and rugged English" continued the
professor, "may be drawn Still further.
No man is SO devoid OF fine feeling as
! to acknowledge that he has pawned
an article. 1t is less shocking to hint
with a wink that his uncle has it. or
that it is in hook, or even that he
has hung it up These expressions
exhibit the deed from a humorous
point of view. In all walks OF life we
find this same endeavor at politeness.
A thiefis called a fly man or a crook
a bribe taker is called 'boodler', and
swindlers are called 'bunko steerers'
and 'sawdust men, This is as it
should be. The En- glish language, de-
void of it's fgurative idioms, is simply
brutal. This accounts for the birth
OF the word dude 1t is far more
elegant than it's synonym, fool The
ruthless small boy might hesitate at
tho latter, but the former he can
shout out at the top OF his lungs
whenever some triae OF humanity may
be blown across his path A slang
term that has peculiar significance
is q 'chippy chaser This is
applied to the prosecutors of hon
orable working girls. They stand
upon the street corners until some
pretty girls pass by, and then follow
them block after block, talking in a
loud voice and otherwise annoying
them. It is gratifying to know that
they are generally felt. This last ex-
preston is applicable to those who
fail to attain the objects OF their de-
sires. The 'chippy chaser if success
full in making the candestine acquaint-
anCe he seeks, and in making and ap-
polntment for some future evening, is,
as a rule, stood up This means, in
unvarnished English, that he stands
for hours at the appointed place
awaiting the arrival of the expected
female, probably in a violent rain or
snow storm, for a 'chippy chaser nev-
er gives up hope, while the honest girl
is possibly sleeping in her bed.
Here again the politeness of slang
idiorns is demonstrated. The syno.
nym of 'chippy chaser is the pitiable
word idiot which is rather an un-
pleasant sounding term to be applied
to a young man. The inventor of
this idiom merits the hearty thanks
OF the brotherhood.
sit is obvious" remarked the pro-
fessor in conclusion, 'from the forego
ing exposition that our slang origl-
mates from the innate delicacy OF feeling
which is characteristic of Americans
from the small boy up. The English
language, when plainly spoken, is
harsh and Earring and contains many
unpleasant words. Men Of fine feeling
naturally express themselves in fig
urative or, to be less scholarly, a Pick
wickian sense"